Tuesday, 8 November 2005
8

Turf Quality and Playability of an Athletic Field Irrigated with Effluent Water Applied through Subsurface Drip Tubing.

Douglas T. Linde and Lawrence D. Hepner. Delaware Valley College, 700 E. Butler Ave, Doylestown, PA 18901

A mix of 75% Kentucky bluegrass and 25% perennial ryegrass was established on an area that had drip tubing installed to a 15.2-cm depth. Tubing was spaced 45.7 cm apart with emitters spaced every 61.0 cm. Wear treatments, applied to 9.3 m2 plots with a Brinkman Traffic Simulator, were 0 games, 66.5 games (low wear), and 123 games (high wear) from 30 Aug 2002 to 26 Oct 2003. Variables that were measured once per month to assess turf quality and playability were percent cover, density, color, percent weeds, growth rate, nutrient content in clippings, surface hardness, and water content. Also, a visual assessment of playability was done. Primary treated effluent water was applied 3 times per day for a total of 3 mm per day. From December to April, 1.5 mm was applied per day. Treatments had similar surface hardness values (Gmax) before wear was applied each year. After applying wear, all treatments became different with the no wear treatment having the lowest values and the high wear treatment the highest values. Mean Gmax values ranged from 43.4 g to 157.3 g. The high wear treatment had significantly more unplayable days (60) than the low wear (37 d) and no wear (29 d) treatments. The high wear treatment resulted in lower percent cover, color, and density. Also, the N, P, and K in the clippings was often lower for the high wear plots. Turf color and density were often greater above the tubing than in the area between the tubing. This resulted in an unacceptable striping pattern. Therefore, the tubing lines should be spaced closer together.

Handout (.pdf format, 6725.0 kb)

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